Thursday, May 22, 2008

Monica's Vegetable and Seitan Stew

Monica's Vegetable and Seitan Stew
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Monicas-Vegetable-and-Seitan-Stew/Detail.aspx

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 cup uncooked brown rice
* 2 1/2 cups water
* 1 quart vegetable broth
* 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic
* 1 (8 ounce) package seitan
* 1 cup cauliflower
* 2 carrots, chopped
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh green beans
* 1/4 cup sliced green onions
* celery salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a pot, bring the rice and water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 45 minutes.
2. In a separate pot, bring the broth to a boil. Stir in the tomatoes, seitan, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, and green onions. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Season with celery salt, and serve in bowls over the cooked rice.

Dan's note: good brown rice makes this a lot more interesting

Tuscan Stir Fried Vegetables and Potatoes Pesto

Tuscan Stir Fried Vegetables and Potatoes Pesto
Chef Christopher Sotkovsky, CEC, CCE, from PA Culinary Institute
Yield: 8 servings

3 potatoes, boiled in their skins
2 cloves minced garlic
1 medium eggplant, cut into small cubes
1 yellow squash, sliced 1/4" thick
1 green pepper, in 1/8" strips
3 tbsp olive oil
Tuscan Spice Mix to taste
1/4 cup pesto sauce
4 sun dried tomatoes, cut into thin strips
3 tbsp chicken stock or water

After cooking potatoes, slice into 1/2 inch rounds
Heat oil in a wok, fry potatoes for 30 seconds
Add garlic, eggplant, squash, peppers, saute a few minutes, season to taste
Add pesto, sun dried tomatoes, chicken stock, toss and cover to finish cooking (about 2 minutes)
Taste and season if necessary. Serve with crusty bread and olice oil.

Tuscan Spice Mix (20 servings):
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
2 tbsp dried or fresh rosemary
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried sage
1 tbsp dried garlic flakees
2 tbsp kosher/sea salt
1 tbsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Place herbs in coffee grinder, pulse to chop into fine pieces. Add salt and pepper, mix well.

Dan's note: good flavor. I liked it.

Turkey chili

Turkey Chili
6 servings

1 lb lean ground turkey
1 cup chicken bouillion
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cans chunky tomato sauce
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
1 can (6oz) water
2 cans dark kidney beans
2 tbsp lite soy sauce
1.5 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar

Brown turkey in a little broth in a large pot. Separately, saute onion, pepper, and garlic in more broth. Add all ingredients together. Simmer 1/2-1 hr.
Dan's note: this is not spicy at all. Also, instead of 2 cans of chunky tomato sauce, I've used 2 cans of diced tomatoes. Or I've just left out the tomatoes, that works too. I think I left out the chicken broth too.
Source: Mom

Three-cup Chicken

Three-Cup Chicken
This is a traditional Taiwanese dish that we always order in our favorite Chinese restaurant. I begged the chef for this recipe and he very reluctantly gave it to me! I just made it for dinner tonight and couldn't wait to post this to share it with all of you!
1/3 cup sesame oil
20 garlic cloves, minced (yes, twenty!)
10 slices thin fresh ginger
2 serrano peppers, thinly sliced with seeds
2 lbs chicken breasts or chicken thigh pieces, cut up into bite-size pieces
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup rice wine
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cups Thai basil
1 cup of 1-inch sections scallions

1. Heat up the sesame oil in a wok or a large skillet on high heat.
2. Add garlic, ginger and serrano peppers, stir fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the chicken pieces and cook until it's white in color, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir together the soy sauce, rice wine and sugar in a bowl, pour over chicken.
5. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium.
6. Let cook, uncovered, until sauce thickens, about 30 minutes.
7. Turn heat back up to high and add basil and scallions, cook for another 2 minutes.
8. Serve over steamed rice.

Dan's notes: also works with tofu and tempeh (particularly good with tempeh). Maybe a little too sweet. Reduce the sugar a bit and it's great. Fast too.

Chicken and Vegetable Cashew Stir Fry

Chicken and Vegetable Cashew Stir Fry
Chef Christopher Sotkovsky, CEC, CCE
Yield: 4 servings

2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp miso paste or oyster sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth (low sodium)

2 tbsp safflower or canola oil
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup scallions, sliced thinly
8 oz-1 lb chicken or tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cups vegetables, sliced thin (any vegetables, and/or baby corn and water chestnuts)
2 cups sprouts and shoots, fresh
1/2 cup roasted cashews

Mix first 7 ingredients in jar, shake until smooth.
Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within 1-2 seconds of contact. Add 2 tbsp oil. When oil begins to smoke, add ginger and garlic, and stir-fry 5 seconds, then add scallions and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add chicken, stir-fry 30 seconds. Add rest of vegetables and stir-fry until softened, 3-5 minutes.
Shake broth mixture, pour into wok and stir-fry until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Return mixture just to a boil, top with cashews, toss and serve.

Southwest-spiced Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Southwest-spiced Roasted Pork Tenderloin

1 whole pork tenderloin
1 tbsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp black pepper

Heat oven to 425. In small bowl stir together all ingredients except pork to make 1/4 cup. Season tenderloin with 2 tbsp. of rub. Place meat in shallow pan, roast 35 minutes or 155 degrees. Let stand 5 min. and slice.

Red Chili Chicken Enchiladas

Red Chili Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Ninety-five percent of the time when we have enchiladas, it is my mom's (amazingly good, incredibly awesome) cheese enchiladas. Once in a while however, she'll make chicken enchiladas. With chicken enchiladas she often uses a red chili sauce which is spicier than the green chiles of the cheese enchiladas. Sometimes she uses canned enchiladas sauce, sometimes she makes it from scratch. Sometimes she coats the tortillas in sauce before cooking them, sometimes she doesn't. Every time she cooks it is an improvisation, so it can be difficult to pin her down on any one method or another. I've presented here her basic methods, with the variations.

1 small onion, chopped (about a cup)
Vegetable oil - grapeseed or olive
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5-ounce can tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted if you can get it
2 Tbsp red chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup to a cup of water

12 corn tortillas
Grapeseed oil, peanut oil or canola oil - a high smoke point vegetable oil such as one of these

2-3 cups of cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
Salt
2 cups grated cheese (about 1/3 lb)

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2 Prepare the sauce. Coat a large skillet with oil and sauté the onions on medium heat until translucent, a few minutes. Add the garlic for a minute more. While the onions are cooking, purée the canned tomatoes in a blender. Add the tomatoes to the onions and garlic. Bring to a low simmer. Start adding the chili powder, one teaspoon at a time, tasting after each addition, until you get to the desired level of heat and chili flavor. For us that's around 2 Tablespoons. But it depends on your taste and how strong the chili powder is that you are using. Note that the tortillas and chicken will absorb some of the heat, so allow for that and let it be a little bit spicier than what you want in the finished dish. Add a teaspoon of sugar if necessary to cut down on the acid from the tomatoes. You want more of the taste of the chili and less of the tomatoes for this sauce. As the sauce simmers, dilute it with water to keep it from getting to thick as it simmers. Remove from heat.

Alternatively, use a prepared canned enchilada sauce, which can be perfectly fine.

3 Mix in 1/4 cup of the sauce with the cooked chicken, and a 1/4 cup of the cheese. Sprinkle with a little salt. Set aside.

4 Prepare the tortillas. There are 2 basic ways to prepare the tortillas - the traditional way of dipping them in the sauce and heating them individually, and my mom's way when she is trying to cut down on the fat.

First the traditional way. Heat a small light skillet on med-high heat. Add a teaspoon of oil (high smoke point oil as indicated above, we use grapeseed oil) to coat the pan. Dip a tortilla in the sauce to coat the tortilla with sauce on both sides. Place the tortilla in the skillet and heat for a few seconds, until the tortilla begin to show some air bubbles. Use a metal spatula to flip to the other side for a few more seconds. Set aside on a plate. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Proceed to the step 5.

For my mom's low-fat method of heating up the tortillas, she places a small amount of oil in the skillet to coat the pan. Add a tortilla, flip it to its other side. Then add another tortilla on top of the first to soak up some of the excess oil. Flip them both together and add yet another tortilla. Keep adding them wherever there seems to be some excess oil. The idea is to heat the tortillas and soften them with the minimum amount of oil. As the tortillas become soft and heated, remove them to a paper towel to soak up even more excess oil. If you find you need more oil in the pan, add it. With this method, you do NOT get the chili flavor infused in the tortillas. It is a matter of preference. I prefer the first method, excess oil or not, because it has a much richer and spicier flavor. But as my mom says, "Anything goes. This is just a guideline; do what you want."

Note that because we made this batch the low-fat way, the following photos show tortillas not coated in chili sauce, but the method is the same for if you did.

5 Assemble the enchiladas. Use an 8x12 inch pyrex baking dish. Place a couple spoonfuls of the chicken mixture in the center of a tortilla and roll it up. Place in the baking dish and repeat until all dozen of your tortillas are neatly placed in rows in the casserole dish. Cover the tortillas rolls with the remaining sauce.

Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese. Note that I recall often eating these chicken enchiladas with very little cheese on them. Instead we had probably 2/3 cup of chopped fresh onion that had been soaked in vinegar sprinkled over the top. (My mom, bless her soul, has no recollection of the chicken enchiladas without the sprinkled cheese. But she's in her 70s and sometimes doesn't remember these things. Or she remembers later and doesn't remember that she ever forgot them in the first place. But heck, I'm in my 40s and my memory isn't what it used to be either.)

6 Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

Use a metal spatula to serve.

Serve with thinly sliced iceberg lettuce that has been seasoned with vinegar and salt (no oil), guacamole or avocado slices, and sour cream. Garnish with cilantro.

Serves 4.

Dan's notes: Make more sauce- maybe double the recipe. The first way of frying the tortillas is easier.

Pork Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Pork Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Can be prepared in 1 1/2 hours.

My old neighborhood in San Francisco used to have a fabulous Hungarian restaurant where I loved to go for pork stuffed cabbage rolls. The restaurant has since gone out of business, but my love for the dish remains. We made these cabbage rolls again this weekend, for Some Pig Blogging Weekend, a food blogging event in honor of San Antonio Abate, the Patron Saint of farmyard animals, who's feast day is January 17th.

2 lbs sauerkraut
1 large head green cabbage
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 tsp of finely chopped garlic
1 lb ground lean pork
1/4 cup rice, cooked in boiling salted water (yielding 3/4 cup cooked)
2 lightly beaten eggs
2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1/8 tsp marjoram
1 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
1 cup water mixed with 1 cup tomato puree
1 cup sour cream

1 Wash the sauerkraut in cold water, then soak in cold water 10-20 minutes to reduce sourness. (Make sure you don't skip this step!) Squeeze dry and set aside. In a large saucepan, bring to a boil enough salted water to cover the cabbage. Add the cabbage, turn the heat to low and simmer 8 minutes. Remove the cabbage and let it drain while it cools enough to handle. Pull off 16 large unbroken leaves and lay them on paper towels to drain and cool further.

2 In a 10-inch skillet, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil, until the onions are lightly colored. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, rice, eggs, paprika, marjoram, the onion-garlic mixture, salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Mix well with a fork or wooden spoon.

3 Place 2 tablespoons of the stuffing in the center of one of the wilted cabbage leaves and, beginning with the thick end of the leaf, fold over the sides, then roll the whole leaf tightly, as you would a small bundle. Repeat with more leaves until all the stuffing has been used.

4 Spread the sauerkraut on the bottom of a 5-quart casserole and arrange the cabbage rolls on top of it. Add the water mixed with the tomato puree. Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover the pan tightly and cook the stuffed cabbage over low heat for 1 hour. Transfer the rolls from the casserole to a warm plate. Stir in the sour cream to the sauerkraut. Simmer another 5 minutes. Lift the sauerkraut onto a serving platter with a slotted spoon. Arrange the cabbage rolls on the sauerkraut and pour some of the sauce over them. Serve the rest of the sauce in a sauceboat.

Serves 4-6.

Dan's note: The sour cream is unnecessary. It can be hard to get enough big enough cabbage leaves, so make sure to put a big spoonful in each one. Other than that, I'm a fan.

Moussaka

Greek Moussaka

This is the most delicious Greek moussaka recipe that I have come across, and being Greek born I have tryed many different recipes over the years. I make this often, it is a family favorite at my house, I have even served this many times to guests for a dinner party, everyone loves it, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
2 medium eggplants
vegetable oil
1 lb lean ground beef
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic (or more if desired)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tsp dried oregano (or to taste)
1 tsp salt, divided (or to taste)
black pepper
2-3 tbsp butter or margarine
2 tbsp flour
1 cup half-and-half cream
1 egg
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (can use more)

1. Peel the eggplants, slice 1/4-inch thick.
2. Brush cookie sheet with oil.
3. Coat each side of sliced eggplant with oil; place on cookie sheet; broil under the broiler until brown; turn and broil the other side, brushing with oil if needed; repeat with all eggplant slices.
4. In the bottom of a greased 9 x 9-inch baking pan, arrange half of the eggplant slices.
5. In a large skillet, combine beef and onions; cook, stirring until the beef is no longer pink, and the onions are soft; drain fat.
6. Add in the garlic, tomato sauce, oregano, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste; pour mixture over eggplant slices.
7. Arrange the remaining eggplant slices over the beef mixture.
8. PREPARE THE CHEESE SAUCE: Melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in flour, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste; gradually stir in half and half or milk, cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
9. In a small bowl, beat egg; stir in some of the hot sauce, then add egg to sauce mixture, mix well; add in Parmesan cheese, and stir again.
10. Pour the cheese sauce over mixture in baking dish.
11. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven, for 45 minutes.
12. Cut into squares.
13. Note: If doubling this recipe (to serve 8), it is best to make two separate casseroles, instead of one larger one.

Dan's note: also make sure your pan isn't too big; otherwise everything gets too thin.

Moroccan Vegetable Stew with Couscous

Moroccan Vegetable Stew with Couscous

Recipe By : Jump Up & Kiss Me/tpogue@idsonline.com

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion -- chopped
6 cloves garlic -- minced
2 whole red potatoes -- diced
1 cup carrot -- diced
2 teaspoons cardamom -- ground
1 zucchini -- cut in half and sliced
1 yellow squash -- cut in half-moons, sliced
1/2 cauliflower florets
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper -- ground
1 teaspoon cayenne -- ground
1/2 cup raisins or currants -- soaked 15 minutes in warm water to plump
16 ounces tomato -- diced
15 ounces tomato sauce
2 tablespoons honey
15 ounces garbanzo beans
6 cups water
3 cups couscous -- uncooked
1/2 cup dried figs -- coarsely chopped
1/3 cup almonds -- sliced
1 pint plain yogurt -- for garnish
1 bunch fresh mint -- chopped, for garnish

In a heavy stockpot, heat the olive oil and saute the onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots, and cardamom. Stir until fragrant, then add the zucchini, yellow squash, and cauliflower. Add curry powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne and stir. Drain the raisins and add to the pot along with the tomatoes, tomato sauce, honey, and garbanzo beans. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, adding up to 1 cup of water if the stew appears dry.
While the stew is cooking, bring the water to a boil in a saucepan and stir in the couscous. Cook for 1 minute, then cover and turn off the heat, letting the couscous sit for 10 minutes. After the couscous has sat for 5 minutes, stir the figs and almonds into the stew.
To serve, fluff up the couscous with a fork. Spoon a mound of couscous on each plate and form a well in the center. Ladle a portion of stew into the well. Garnish with several tablespoons of the yogurt and fresh mint. Serve the remaining yogurt on the side.


NOTES : The Jump Up and Kiss Me Spicy Vegetarian Cooking by Jennifer Trainer Thompson was called to the attention of the Food/Wine group by Brenda Adams. Thanks Brenda, it's a wonderful cookbook published by Ten Speed Press of Berkeley, CA.

Serves 6 to 8
Moroccan food is startlingly aromatic. Perfumed with the fragrance of cardamom and accented with the sweetness of currants, one bite of this spicy stew will have you thinking you've just arrived in the city of Fez for a culinary adventure. It's delicious served with Fennel Salad

Dan's notes: Good stew! It's perfect amount of spicy, and the figs make it the perfect amount of sweet. The mint and yogurt really add something too.

Moroccan Meat Loaf

Moroccan Meat Loaf

The good folks at Niman Ranch recently sent me a few lamb recipes to try from their new cookbook, the Niman Ranch Cookbook. Being huge meat loaf fans, we were immediately drawn to the Moroccan Meat Loaf recipe from Chef Monica Pope, of T'Afia in Houston, Texas. If you like lamb, you will love this Moroccan meat loaf. If you don't like lamb, I'm willing to bet this meat loaf will convert you. It is superb - spicy, with hints of cilantro and mint. The recipe calls for a pomegranate barbecue sauce to accompany the meat loaf. We made the sauce, which is excellent, but honestly, the next time we make this we'll skip the sauce. It's just unnecessary. Its own spiciness almost competes with the flavors of the meatloaf. I've included the recipe below, but you really don't need it. Plain ketchup will do, if you have to have ketchup with your meatloaf, but just the drippings themselves are sufficient and delicious.

The original recipe calls for 1/4 teaspoon of saffron threads to go along with the other spices. I don't like saffron (everyone has their preferences when it comes to food, and I have mine), so we kept it out. It is not in the following recipe listed, but feel free to put it back in there if you want to follow the recipe as its author intended.

2 lbs ground lamb
1 lb ground beef
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 large celery stalk, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped garlic (about 6 cloves)
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger (3-inch piece)
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups dried bread crumbs
2 small eggs
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the lamb and beef in a large bowl. Set aside.

2 Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and ginger and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the salt, paprika, cumin, curry powder, cayenne, cinnamon, and pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to release the flavors. Remove from heat and let cool for 10-15 minutes.

3 Stir the vegetables into the ground meat. Mix in the bread crumbs, eggs, cilantro, and mint. Transfer to a 1 1/2 quart loaf pan and set in a baking pan. Pour water into the baking pan to reach halfway up the sides of the loaf pan.

4 Bake the meat loaf for 1 1/2 hours, or until firm and cooked through. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Unmold onto a plate and slice. Serve with optional Pomegranate BBQ sauce, ketchup, or just the drippings from the meatloaf itself. Very good served with rice pilaf.

Serves 6-8.

Dan's note: This is great! I made it with parsley instead of cilantro, and 3 lb ground beef instead of 1 lb beef and 2 lb lamb. Tastes vaguely middle eastern- I don't know if it's Moroccan style. But it is tasty.

Moroccan Chicken with Lemon and Olives

Moroccan Chicken with Lemon and Olives

A month ago or so I bought a tagine, an earthenware cooking and serving pot, with which to experiment. My first foray into cooking with the tagine was with this Moroccan chicken dish which turned out beautifully - succulent, tender, and full of flavor. This recipe is pulled together and adapted from various sources including the New York Times, The New Basics Cookbook, and recipes by Le Souk Ceramique, the maker of my tagine. Preserved lemon is traditionally called for in this dish, although I know of people who just add thin slices of lemon and don't bother with finding or making preserved lemon.

2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon tumeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 chicken, 3-4 lbs, cut into 8 pieces (or 3-4 lbs of just chicken thighs and legs, the dark meat is more flavorful)
Salt

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped

The peel from 1 preserved lemon, rinsed in cold water, pulp discarded, peel cut into thin strips
1 cup green olives, pitted
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 Combine all the spices in a large bowl. Pat dry the chicken pieces and put in the bowl, coat well with the spice mixture. Let the chicken stand for one hour in the spices.

2 In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the chicken pieces, sprinkle lightly with salt (go easy on the salt, the olives and lemons are salty), and brown, skin side down for five minutes. (If you are using a clay tagine, you will skip the browning step, heat only to medium heat and use a heat diffuser on the heating element to prevent the tagine from cracking.) Lower the heat to medium-low, add the garlic and onions. Cover and let cook for 15 minutes.

3 Turn chicken pieces over. Add the lemon slices, olives, raisins, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer on medium heat, then lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for an additional 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and quite tender.

4 Mix in fresh parsley and cilantro right before serving. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Serves 4 to 6. Serve with couscous, rice, or rice pilaf.

Dan's notes: Needs flavor. "Marinate" in the spices for at least an hour. I made it with boneless chicken breasts, maybe the dark meat is better. I used lemon rind, too- grate it so you don't get a big chunk of lemon rind.

Mojo Stir Fry

Mojo Stir Fry
Chef Christopher Sotkovsky, CEC, CCE, from PA Culinary Institute
Yield: 4 servings

Cuban in origin, I have adapted this sauce to be used in combination with your favorite meat and vegetable combinations. You can make a large batch of this sauce and whip up a market basket stir fry, using the best fresh local seasonal ingredients.

Sauce:
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 limes, juiced
2 oranges, zested and juiced
1 tsp chili garlic paste
2 tbsp Maggi seasoning, or Kitchen Bouquet
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp molasses
1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp smoked spanish paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp cornstarch

Stirfry:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb beef, pork, chicken, or shrimp, sliced thin
1 lb vegetables- onions, peppers, zucchini, etc
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
2 tbsp parsley, minced

Mix all sauce ingredients in a quart-size mason jar with lid. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to one month.
Prepare meat and vegetables. Heat a wok until very hot. Add half the oil, fry meat, remove from pan when browned. Add remaining oil. Reheat pan, add garlic and vegetables. Stir fry a few minutes, then add chili powder. When vegetables are tender and crisp, add meat. Shake up sauce and pur in enough to coat the meat and vegetables. Heat to thicken, serve with rice, cuban flat bread, and hot sauce.

Dan's note: very good. I might go a little easier on the orange juice in the sauce- it gets a little thin and citrusy.

Lasagna

Lasagna

1 lb bulk italian sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp basil
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 oz water
1 15oz can tomatoes
2 6oz cans tomato paste
10 oz lasagna
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups (24oz) cottage cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 tbsp parsley flakes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lb mozzarella, sliced

Saute sausage and garlic over medium heat. Drain fat, if any. Add basil, salt, water, tomatoes, tomato paste.
Boil, drain, rinse lasagna.
Mix eggs, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper in a bowl.
Layer in a 13x9 pan: 1/2 noodles, cheese mix, cheese slices, sauce. Repeat. Bake at 375 for 30 min.

Source: Mom

Irish Beef Stew

Irish Beef Stew Recipe

"Have I got the best recipe for you!" my friend Tomas announced, upon his return from a recent trip to photographing vineyards in Italy. "It's an Irish beef stew," he added, "and it's the best thing I've ever had." Apparently the chef at one of the wineries Tom was visiting prepared this stew for Tom, based on a Bon Appetit recipe, with the main difference being the substitution of Guinness (a very dark beer) and excellent red wine for some of the beef stock the recipe called for. Always eager to try new recipes with friends, I made my way to Tom's house and we cooked this up together for his family. As I suspected, the addition of Guinness and red wine makes all the difference.

1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/4 pounds stew beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 large garlic cloves, minced
6 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
1 cup of Guinness beer
1 cup of fine red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 7 cups)
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled carrots
Salt and Pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and sauté until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add beef stock, Guinness, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

2 While the meet and stock is simmering, melt butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion and carrots. Sauté vegetables until golden, about 20 minutes.

3 Add vegetables to beef stew. Simmer uncovered until vegetables and beef are very tender, about 40 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Tilt pan and spoon off fat. Transfer stew to serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. (Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Salt and pepper to taste. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.)

Serves 4 to 6.

Hutspot

Hutspot

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup margarine or butter
2 pounds braising meat, sliced 1/2 inch thick (large chunks)
2 cups cold water
3 pounds carrots, peeled and diced or a mix of diced carrot and turnip
12 ounces onions, diced (about three medium)
3 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 or 2 Dutch smoked sausages (Simon de Groot or other)

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the fat in (what else) a Dutch oven or crock pot until brown.
Sear the meat on both sides til brown. Add water to just cover the meat
and simmer (covered) for approximately one (1) hour.
Add carrots, onions and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
Cover and simmer for about an hour more. Add the Dutch sausage on top
during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Remove the meat and veggies;
if there is enough liquid left, make gravy. Mash the vegetables
together and put on plates. Put meat and sausage slices on top and
serve with gravy. (Serves four to six)

Many Thanks to Brenda Sharpe for this recipe

Dan's notes: Tasty! Make sure you have a big pot.

Grilled Vegetable and Chicken Wraps

Grilled Vegetable and Chicken Wraps

1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 oz. rice vinegar
1 oz lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp cilantro
1 tbsp honey

2 1/2 lb chicken breast
1 tbsp cumin

1/2 each zucchini, cut in long rounds
1/2 each yellow squash
1/2 each red onion, 1/4 inch rounds
1 each bell pepper, in strips
12 flour tortillas

Reserve 1/3 marinade for serving. Marinate chicken and vegetables in remaining marinade up to 4 hours ahead of time. Season chicken with cumin and grill until just done, marking both sides. Grill vegetables until done. Slice chicken on a bias. Cut vegetables into strips. Toss with reserved marinade. Serve wrapped in a flour tortilla.

Source: Chef Christopher Sotkovsky, Pennsylvania Culinary Institute

Ginger Chicken with Almonds

Ginger Chicken with Almonds

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 - 2 lbs. total)
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger plus 1/4 cup julienned fresh ginger
4 teaspoons grapeseed oil or other high flash point oil such as canola oil
2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoond kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 large scallions (or 6 small), trimmed
1/2 cup mango chutney, large pieces chopped
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 Slice chicken crosswise into œ-inch-thick pieces. Toss with ground coriander, grated ginger, 2 teaspoons oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Marinate at room temperature 15 minutes (or longer, or overnight, in the refrigerator).

2 Thinly slice white parts of scallions. Julienne green parts; set aside.

3 Stir together chutney, broth, and garlic in a small bowl.

4 Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet (or wok) over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and julienned ginger; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add chicken and stir-fry until thoroughly cooked, 4 to 6 minutes. Add scallion greens and chutney mixture; cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Transfer to shallow bowls with hot cooked rice (or without rice, for low-carb version). Sprinkle with toasted almond slices and serve.

Serves 4-6.

Fettuccine with walnuts, zucchini ribbons, and Pecorino Romano

FETTUCCINE WITH WALNUTS, ZUCCHINI RIBBONS, AND PECORINO ROMANO

2 1/2 pounds small zucchini, untrimmed
1 teaspoon fleur de sel or coarse kosher salt

2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 anchovy fillets, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon (scant) dried crushed red pepper

1 pound fettuccine
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for serving
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
1/2 cup (packed) thinly sliced fresh basil
1/4 cup (packed) chopped fresh mint
Fresh zucchini flowers, thinly sliced (optional)

Place 1 zucchini on work surface. Using vegetable peeler and firmly holding zucchini by stem end, shave zucchini lengthwise into long ribbons. Discard scraps. Repeat with remaining zucchini. Place ribbons (about 10 cups total) in large colander set over large bowl; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon fleur de sel. Let stand 30 minutes. Rinse zucchini under cold running water; drain well. Spread on 2 large kitchen towels; roll up in towels to absorb excess water. Set aside.

Combine garlic, anchovy fillets, and crushed red pepper in very large serving bowl. Using pestle or wooden spoon, crush mixture until paste forms.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Transfer pasta to bowl with garlic mixture. Add 1/3 cup oil and 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid; toss. Add zucchini, walnuts, 1/2 cup cheese, basil, and mint; toss. Season with salt and pepper, adding more pasta cooking liquid if mixture is dry. Drizzle with additional oil. Sprinkle with zucchini flowers, if desired. Serve with remaining cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

Dan's note: this is great! The Pecorino Romano cheese is really good. The anchovies aren't completely necessary.

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas

3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup chopped onion
¼ cup margarine or butter
¼ cup unsifted flour
2 ½ cups hot water
1 tbsp chicken flavored bouillon cube or 3 cubes
1 (8oz) sour cream, at room temperature
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 (4 oz) can chopped mild green chilies, drained
1 tsp ground cumin
10 (8 in) flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350. In medium saucepan, cook onion in margarine until tender. Stir in flour then water and bouillon; cook and stir until thickened and bouillon dissolves. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream. In large bowl, combine 1 cup sauce, chicken, 1 cup cheese, chilies and cumin; mix well. Dip each tortilla into remaining hot sauce to soften; fill each with equal portions of chicken mixture. Roll up. Arrange in greased 13 x 9 baking dish. Spoon remaining sauce over. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 25 minutes or until bubbly. Garnish as desired. Refrigerate leftovers.
Source: Aunt Jill and Uncle Marc

Chicken Curry with Cashews

CHICKEN CURRY WITH CASHEWS
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/CHICKEN-CURRY-WITH-CASHEWS-231358

In this recipe adapted from Charmaine Solomon's Complete Asian Cookbook, ground cashews thicken the curry and give it a rich, nutty flavor. Both roasted and raw cashews work well, so use whichever you prefer.

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb) chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces
1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup cashews (1/4 lb)
3/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

Accompaniment: cooked basmati or jasmine rice
Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro


Heat butter in a 5- to 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderately low heat until foam subsides, then cook onions, garlic, and ginger, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring to coat, 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, including juice, and cilantro and bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes. (If making ahead, see cooks' note, below.)

Just before serving:
Pulse cashews in a food processor or electric coffee/spice grinder until very finely ground, then add to curry along with yogurt and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Cooks' note:
Curry, without yogurt and cashews, can be made 5 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat over low heat before stirring in yogurt and ground cashews.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Gourmet
January 2005

Dan's note: Excellent. Really good. I used I think 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, it was fine.

Chicken and tasso jambalaya

CHICKEN AND TASSO JAMBALAYA

Seasoning mix:
2 whole bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound chopped tasso (preferred) or other smoked ham (preferably Cure 81), about 2 cups
3/4 pound boneless chicken, cut into bite-size pieces, about 2 cups
1 cup chopped onions, in all
1 cup chopped celery, in all
1 cup chopped green bell peppers, in all
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
1 cup peeled and chopped tomatoes
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice (preferably converted)


Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in small bowl and set aside.

Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat. Add the tasso and cook until meat starts to brown, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chicken and continue cooking until chicken is brown, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping pan bottom well. Stir in the seasoning mix and 1/2 cup each of the onions, celery, and bell peppers and the garlic. Cook until vegetables start to get tender, about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring fairly constantly and scraping pan bottom as needed. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook about 1 minute, stirring often. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup each of the onions, celery, and bell peppers and the tomatoes. Remove from heat. Stir in the stock and rice, mixing well. Transfer mixture to an ungreased 8x8-inch baking pan. Bake uncovered in a 350° oven until rice is tender but still a bit crunchy, about 1 hour. Remove from oven. Stir well and remove bay leaves Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

To serve, mold rice in an 8-ounce cup and place 2 cups on each serving plate for a main course or 1 cup for an appetizer.

Makes 4 main-dish or 8 appetizer servings.
Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen
April 1984
Paul Prudhomme
Morrow,William & Co

Dan's note: Don't use instant rice, it splits and gets soft again. Still very good though. Original recipe said 2 tsp red pepper- it's spicy enough with 1.

Grilled Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomato Subs

Grilled Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomato Subs
Submitted by: Dave G

"Tasty seasoned grilled chicken topped with sun-dried tomatoes and black olives. Serve with chips and green salad."
Original recipe yield: 6 sandwiches.

INGREDIENTS:

* 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* salt and ground black pepper to taste
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
* 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1 (8 ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil - drained, oil reserved
* 1 (4 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
* 6 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium high heat, and lightly oil grate. Lightly pound chicken to flatten. Trim excess fat from edges. Brush lightly with olive oil, then season both sides of chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and red pepper to taste; set aside
2. In a medium bowl, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and about 2 1/2 tablespoons oil from the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside
3. Place chicken on preheated grill, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, turning in different directions while cooking to get cross-hatch grill marks. Place cooked chicken on rolls, and top each with a heaping tablespoon of tomato mixture.

Bean Bourguignon

Bean Bourguignon

2 cans (15 oz. each) great northern beans, drained and rinsed
8 ox. Mushrooms, quartered
1 onion, chopped
1 large or 2 medium potatoes, unpeeled, cut into ½-inch chunks
2 carrots, sliced into ½ inch rounds
2 celery ribs, sliced ½ inch thick
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cup dry red wine
6 oz. can tomato paste
1/2 cup water
Place beans, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, carrots and celery in a 4-quart
crock pot. Sprinkle with garlic, thyme, salt and pepper; add bay leaf. Stir to coat vegetables.

Pour wine over mixture in crock pot. In a small bowl, mix tomato paste and water; pour into crock pot and stir.

Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours, or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf and serve.
Source: Aunt Jill and Uncle Marc

Bahamian Peas and Rice

Authentic Bahamian Peas and Rice
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Authentic-Bahamian-Peas-and-Rice/Detail.aspx

"This is an authentic version of Bahamian peas and rice, I am a native of the Bahamas and this is how it was taught to me, hope you enjoy it. Serve with any prepared meat."
Original recipe yield: 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
* 8 ounces cubed cooked ham
* 1 tablespoon tomato paste
* 1 tomato, chopped
* 2 slices bacon - cooked and crumbled (optional)
* 8 ounces corned beef, chopped
* 1 (15 ounce) can pigeon peas, drained
* 2 sprigs fresh thyme
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 (10 ounce) can coconut milk
* 6 cups water
* 1 teaspoon browning sauce
* 3 cups uncooked brown rice
DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, and fry until transparent. Stir in the green pepper, ham, tomato paste, tomato, bacon, corned beef, and pigeon peas. Season with thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
2. Stir in the coconut milk, water and browning sauce, and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice. Return to a boil, then stir, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 45 minutes, until rice is tender. Stir occasionally.

Dan's notes: a little bland. Seasoning with cinnamon is nice. Maybe that's because all I know is that coconut milk and cinnamon go together. Where do you get pigeon peas? Also, maybe reduce the water a little bit, by a cup or so, because it was a little watery after the rice was done absorbing.

Apple cider chicken

Apple cider chicken

2 chicken breast halves
1 can cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup apple cider
3 tsp worcestershire sauce
4 tbsp onion flakes
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 2.5oz jar sliced mushrooms, drained

Source: Mom
Bake at 350 for 1 1/2-2 hours, basting after 1 hour. Serve with rice.

Veal sambal

Veal Sambal Recipe

http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipedetail2.jsp?recipe_no=23213

Ingredients:
2-lbs. lean veal stew meat cut into 1-inch cubes
3 cups water
1 tsp. salt
2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled, sliced into thin sticks
2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, sliced into thin sticks
1/2 large red onion, quartered
1/2 large red onion, finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 large can diced tomatoes, undrained
4 large fresh Jalapeno peppers, seeded, finely chopped
2 large fresh fingerhot peppers, seeded, finely chopped
2 thumb-size pieces of fresh ginger, peeled, finely chopped
1 tbs. lime juice
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 tbs. molasses
2 tbs. dark sesame oil
1 large mango, pureed
1 large bok choy, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 box of your favorite Oriental noodles, or spaghetti, cooked al dente.
Garnishes: cilantro sprigs, chopped peanuts, mango slices, tangerine
segments

Directions:
In a 4-quart pan, place the veal, water, salt, 4 cloves garlic, and large pieces of the celery, carrot, and onion. Bring to boil and simmer covered for 1 hour. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat and chill until needed.

Strain the broth, discard the veggies, and wash the pan. Return the broth to the pan and reduce the volume to one cup.

Cook the pasta, drain, and add one tablespoon sesame oil to the noodles and toss to coat. Return noodles to the pot and cover until needed.

In the same 4-quart pan with the broth, add all of the remaining ingredients except the veal, sesame oil, mango, bok choy, and noodles. Stir well and adjust seasoning to your taste. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients except the noodles and toss the bok choy in the hot sauce until it is just wilted. Cover, and heat for a few minutes until the meat and sauce are hot.

Add the noodles to a large pasta serving bowl. Add the finished stew to the pasta and toss well. If desired, garnish with any or all of the above selections. Serves 4-6. Enjoy!

--
A stew featuring a fusion of Thai and Indonesian flavors. The very spicy Indonesian sambal sauce is tempered by a Thai tomato-mango base.

Dan's note: good. A little watery, but not really. If you just add the noodles (I used penne) to the broth, it just makes a big soup. But yeah, all the flavors work together well. And I didn't even have any sesame oil or molasses!

Tahu dan Tempe Bumbu Rujak

Tahu dan Tempe Bumbu Rujak
(Indonesian tofu & tempeh in spicy coconut sauce)

Yield: 4-6 servings
6-7 shallots, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, crushed
3-5 tbsp Sambal oelek
5-6 candlenuts or almonds
1 tbsp tamarind pulp
1 tsp turmeric powder

2-3 tbsp oil
3 stalks lemongrass, white part only, crushed with a mallet or knife
4-6 Kaffir lime leaves
1" piece Galangal, sliced into thin discs
1 lb tempeh, cubed
1 lb tofu, firm, cubed
2 cups coconut milk
2 tbsp sugar
salt, to taste

METHOD
Basic Steps: Puree ? Sauté ? Simmer

1. Place the shallots, garlic, sambal oelek, nuts, tamarind and turmeric into a blender or food processor and puree. Add a little water if necessary to bring the ingredients together.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium high flame. Add the shallot puree and sauté till fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Add the crushed lemongrass and lime leaves and sauté 1-2 minutes more.
3. Add the tempeh, tofu and coconut milk. Season with sugar and salt, reduce heat and simmer until coconut milk has thickened, 15-20 minutes. Serve with rice.

VARIATIONS

* The cubed tofu can be deep-fried first if you like. Pre-fried tofu cubes can be found at many Asian markets.
* One medium-sized white onion can be substituted for the shallots.
* Use all tofu or all tempeh if you prefer.
* Ayam Bumbu Rujak: Use one chicken, about 2 1/2 lbs and cut into serving pieces, in place of the tofu and tempeh. The chicken can be browned first in hot oil if you like.
* Telur Bumbu Rujak: Use 6 or 7 hard-boiled eggs in place of the tofu and tempeh.

NOTES

* This simple vegetarian dish uses tempeh, a fermented soybean cake, that is popular in Indonesian cuisine.
* The lemongrass, lime leaves and galangal are for seasoning and are not meant to be eaten. They can be removed before serving if you like.
http://whats4eats.com/recipes/r_ve_tahutempebumbu.html

Dan's notes: I forgot the galangal. The lemongrass and lime leaves made it very lemoney, and that wasn't so good; I'd cut down the lemongrass.
It is good with one stalk of lemongrass and only a couple lime leaves, and all tofu, no tempeh.

Selada

Cucumber and Egg Salad

(Selada)

SERVES 4

This refreshing salad is commonly served at Minangkabau wedding ceremonies in Indonesia. Hard-to-find ingredients can be found at your local Asian market.

5 pickling cucumbers, peeled, trimmed, and
thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Peanut oil
2 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and thinly
sliced
4 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tsp. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled, whites and yolks
separated, both sliced
1 oz. raw shrimp chips, fried (Krispy Kritters)
1/2 oz. raw melinjo nut chips, fried (Krispy Kritters)

1. Toss cucumbers and 1 tsp. of the salt in a colander and set aside to drain for 1 hour. Meanwhile, pour oil into a deep skillet to a depth of 1" and heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in 2 batches, fry potatoes, stirring often, until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Fry shallots in same oil, stirring often, until deep golden and crisp, 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

2. Put vinegar, pepper, sugar, and the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt into a medium bowl. Squeeze out excess water from cucumbers, add to bowl, and toss well. Scatter egg whites over cucumbers, then scatter yolks, then potatoes, then shallots on top. Set salad aside at room temperature for 1 hour. Garnish each serving with fried shrimp and melinjo nut chips and serve with Steamed White Rice, if you like.
First published in Saveur, March 2002

Dan's notes: nice. Buy raw shrimp chips and fry them, it's awesome, they puff up super-fast. This got greasy, but just because I didn't really know how to fry the potatoes.

Sayur Lodeh

Sayur Lodeh
(Indonesian vegetables in coconut curry)

Yield: 4-6 servings
INGREDIENTS PREP AMOUNT
3 Tbsp oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp galangal or fresh ginger, minced
1-3 chili peppers, sliced
1 piece lemongrass, white part of stalk only, minced
1 tsp coriander seed, ground
1/2 tsp turmeric

Coconut milk 2 cups

1 potato, peeled, diced
1 carrot, peeled, sliced into rounds
1 cup green beans
1 onion thinly sliced

1 cup chinese or Napa cabbage, chopped
2-3 scallions, chopped in 1" pieces
Salt & pepper, to taste

METHOD
Basic Steps: Stir Fry ? Boil ? Simmer ? Season

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium flame. Stir fry first set of ingredients 2-3 minutes.
2. Add coconut milk and bring to a boil.
3. Add potatoes, carrots, green beans and onions. Lower heat and cover. Simmer till potatoes are almost cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.
4. Remove cover and add cabbage, scallions and salt and pepper. Simmer just till cabbage is tender, about 2-3 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve.

VARIATIONS

* You can substitute other vegetables if you like, just add the sturdier, longer cooking vegetables first and the more delicate vegetables in the second simmering. This prevents over or undercooking.
* Add some cubed tofu or some shrimp with the cabbage and scallions if you like.

NOTES

* This dish is also popular in Malaysia.

Dan's notes: All right, but kind of watery and bland. Might help to add some more flavorings (like cloves/bay leaf). Can't simmer longer, though, because the vegetables will get all soft.

Satay 3

Chicken Satay

Satay of course is originally an Indonesian/Malay dish, but it has been in Southern Thailand for a very long time. This is a Thai version.

You can of course also make the same recipe with chunks of beef or pork, or large prawns (if you can get the very large ones [3-4 per pound] then they are usually deheaded and the skewer threaded lengthwise down the body.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
about 1 pound chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and cut into bite sized pieces.
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon curry powder (Thais use a mix called "phom kari", but an Indian style Madras curry powder is fine)
pinch turmeric powder (it's only a colorant, so very little!)
8 tablespoons coconut milk
3 tablespoons palm sugar

Method

The chicken is beaten flat, using the flat of the blade of a heavy cleaver (or using a meat-tenderising mallet, or the 'sahk' of the mortar and pestle (i.e. the grinding piece, not the bowl :-) -- in Thailand these are usually granite. You could also use a rolling pin...)

The coriander and cumin are toasted and then crushed in a mortar and pestle or food processor (coffee grinder...) The ingredients are then combined to form a marinade, and the chicken is marinated overnight.

The pieces of chicken are then threaded on the 8" satay sticks, loosely folding them in half and piercing through the folded meat to form a loose gather.

The completed sticks are then grilled, broiled or barbecued on fairly high heat (they taste best done over charcoal, as they absorb the smoke). Turn them regularly and brush them liberally with the remaining marinade. Cooking should take between 5 and 10 minutes depending on the heat of your cooker.

Regards

Colonel Ian F. Khuntilanont-Philpott
Systems Engineering,
Vongchavalitkul University,
Korat 30000, Thailand

Dan's notes: This is probably the best Satay. Maybe the best chicken I've made in a long time. Pounding + marinating = super tender. Plus, the flavor is awesome.

Satay 2

Satay #2

Marinade for Chicken:
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

Spicy Peanut Sauce:
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon red curry paste, or mussamun curry paste
2 teaspoons roasted chili paste (nahm prik pao; optional)
1/2 cup chicken broth or water
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon palm sugar or brown sugar
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter or very finely ground peanuts
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice or tamarind liquid

About 60 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
Tangy Cucumber Pickles

Quick & Easy Thai
by Nancie McDermott from Chronicle Books

This dish looks inviting, tastes fantastic, and is fun to eat. To make in advance, marinate the meat, put the cucumber pickles together, make the sauce, and then cover and chill. Let your first guests skewer the meat and get it grilling while you gently reheat the peanut sauce. This way you will have time to make a quick batch of the traditional satay accompaniment: toast! Thais often serve satay with a side of toast points, the better to enjoy the fabulous peanut sauce.

Combine the coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, and curry powder in a large mixing bowl and stir well. Cut chicken thighs into generous, bite-sized chunks, and cut breast meat lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips. Add the meat to the marinade and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight.

To prepare the peanut sauce, bring the coconut milk to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the curry paste and roasted chili paste and cook 4 to 5 minutes, mashing and stirring occasionally to dissolve them. Add the chicken broth, fish sauce, palm sugar, peanut butter, and lime juice and cook 1 minute more, stirring well to make a smooth sauce. Remove from heat, transfer to a small serving bowl, and set aside to cool. The sauce can be served warm or at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate, reheating gently just before serving time.

Thread meat onto tips of bamboo skewers, and cook on a lightly oiled, hot grill or under a broiler, turning often, until browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve at once with the peanut sauce and Tangy Cucumber Pickles.

Dan's note: the peanut sauce is very good. Don't need the water, though, I don't think.

Satay

Satay

For marinade:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, (cut in large pieces)
1 tbsp ginger powder
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp Ketjap Manis- sweet soy sauce (thicker and sweeter than regular... found in an Asian grocery store. Or you can try to substitute something like 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp molasses, 1 tsp brown sugar, and 1 tsp water)
2 tbsp water

For peanut sauce:
2 tbsp oil
2-3 tsp cumin
1 onion
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 cup peanut butter (300g)
1 cup ketchup (300g)
milk or water
1 tsp ginger powder
Sambal Oelek (or other spicy pepper sauce) to taste

Slice the chicken into little chunks. Mix the marinade ingredients and marinate overnight, or at least for a couple hours. Grill the chicken on skewers, or just saute it if you don't have a grill.

To make the peanut sauce: heat the oil, add the cumin, then the onion, garlic, and 1 tsp Sambal Oelek. Cook for 5 minutes, add the peanut butter, cook for a few more minutes, and add the ketchup. Add some milk or water if it's too thick. Add the ginger and mix well.

Serve the chicken with the peanut sauce. You'll probably have a lot of peanut sauce left over. Eat it on just about anything- it's pretty good. Or just make less peanut sauce.

Sambal Goreng Telor

Sambal Goreng Telor

A traditional Indonesian egg dish served with a meal.
Ingredients:

5 Eggs
2 Tablespoon Oil
3 Shallots
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Trassi
1 red pepper
2 1/2 cm Galangal root
1 Bay or Salam leaf
1/2 teaspoon Tamarind paste
2 teaspoons Sugar
1/2 cup Coconut milk
100 gr. Shrimps
Preparation:

Hard boil eggs for 10 minutes. Heat oil in Wok or frying pan.
Fry diced Onion, Garlic, Trassi, Pepper and Galangal slowly for 10 Min.
Add Bay leaf, Tamarind, sugar, Coconut milk and œ cup of water and cook for 5 min. Add shrimps and slow cook for a further 5 min. Peel the eggs and heat through in the sauce. Slice eggs in halve lengthwise and arrange on dish.
Pour hot sauce over eggs and serve.

Dan's notes: Tasty, but nothing special. Tastes like the sum of its parts.

Sambal Goreng Kentang

Sambal Goreng Kentang
A very spicy side-dish or snack made from potatoes, mixed with onion, garlic and peppers.
Ingredients:

3 large potatoes
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon sambal oelek
1 dessertspoon palm sugar
1 dessertspoon tamarind paste
1 tablespoon kecap manis
1 dessertspoon chopped parsly
oil

Preparation:

Peel and halve the potatoes. Slice into thin slices or match-sticks. Wash and dry in a tea-towel. Deep fry until golden brown. Set aside.
Finely chop the onions and garlic. Soften in a frying pan or wok, add the sambal ulek, gula djawa, tamarind and kecap manis and fry for a further 3 minutes.
Mix in the potatoes and spoon into a serving dish, garnish with the chopped parsly and serve.
Notes:

For even quicker results the potatoes can be replaced with ready bought potatoe crisp or match-sticks.
The sambal ulek can be replaced with finely sliced chillies, which will have to be fried with the onions & garlic.
The palm sugar can be replaced with a dark brown, soft sugar.
The tamarind paste can either be extracted from a block of pulp, as discribed in my ingredients page, or you can use it from a jar of ready made paste.

Dan's note: tasty- they're superfried, of course they're tasty! But fried potatoes twice seems unnecessary. Maybe you could skip the first deep-frying, and just saute them with the sauce? Hmm...

Rendang Daging

Rendang Daging
(Indonesian beef simmered in coconut milk)

Yield: 4-6 servings
3 tbsp oil
1/2 cup onion or shallots
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
3-20 chili peppers, minced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
2 lb. beef, chuck or round, cut into thin slices

4 cups coconut milk
2-3 rounds ginger or galangal
2 stalks lemon grass, bottom 3-4" only, pounded flat
1 tbsp sugar
salt, to season

1. Blend the onion, garlic, chilies, turmeric and salt to a puree in a food processor or blender. You may have to add a little water.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high flame. Add the onion puree and sauté till fragrant and excess water is cooked out. Add beef and continue to sauté till meat is lightly browned.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 1 1/2 to 3 hours, until beef is very tender and sauce is reduced to a thick gravy. It will be necessary to add a little water now and then if the sauce becomes too dry before the meat is tender.
4. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and sugar and serve with steamed rice or ketupat (rice cakes).

VARIATIONS

* Rendang Kambing: use lamb instead of beef.
* Rendang Ayam: use boneless chicken breasts or thighs.
* Rendang is typically made fiery hot with chilies. Adjust the amount to your liking.
* The onions and garlic can be eliminated. Simply mix all the rest of the ingredients together, skip the sautéing step, and simmer till the meat is tender.
* The following ingredients can be added with the onions and garlic if you like: toasted, shredded coconut, 2 tsp cumin, 2 Tbsp coriander.
* One or more of the following ingredients can be added with the coconut milk if you like: 3-4 kaffir lime leaves, 3-4 whole cloves, 1 tsp cinnamon, curry leaves, 1-2 Tbsp tamarind paste, 2-3 crushed kemiri (candlenuts), 1-2 slices ginger, 2-3 bay leaves.

NOTES

* Rendang is a "dry" meat curry that originated in the Padang cuisine of west-central Sumatra. It has become popular throughout the Indonesian archipelago as well as in Malaysia and Singapore. This intensely flavorful dish is often served on special occasions. The ingredients used to season it vary widely from region to region. Pick and choose as you like.
* The oil will probably separate from the coconut milk and rise to the top of the dish. While rendang is typically served fairly oily, you can skim excess from the top. Some cooks hold back half the coconut milk and stir it in toward the end to minimize oiliness.

Dan's notes: This is great. I added a couple cloves and a bay leaf. When it simmered way down it was really flavorful. It is really oily, though. I skimmed off a bunch of oil and it was still oily.

Rempah

Rempah
http://www.indochef.com/indo_07.shtml
Beef and Coconut patties Indonesian style.
Ingredients:

200 gr minced beef.
100 gr desiccated coconut.
1 garlic clove.
1 teaspoon coriander.
1/2 teaspoon cumin.
1/4 teaspoon laos powder.
1/4 teaspoon blanchan.
1 egg.
50 gr cornflour.
100 gr. peanut oil.
Preparation:

Moisten the coconut with about 4 tablespoons of hot water. Add all remaining ingredients except cornflour and oil. Mix until ingredients are well blended and smooth.
Make mixture into 12 to 16 small balls. Roll through cornflour, shake of any excess and fry in hot oil for about 5 min.
Serve hot.

Dan's notes: good, but sort of bland. They just tasted like plain fried meatballs (whatever you imagine that to taste like)

Pisang goreng

Pisang Goreng
(Indonesian batter-fried bananas)

Yield: 4-6 servings

6 ripe bananas, peeled, cut in two pieces
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 egg, beaten
Oil for deep frying

1. Mix flours, baking powder and salt well in a bowl. Beat in coconut milk, water and egg until batter is smooth. Let batter rest from 15 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Heat oil in a deep skillet or deep fryer to between 350° and 375°. Using a fork, dip bananas in batter to cover. Let excess drain off and deep fry, turning, until well browned. Drain on paper towels and serve.

VARIATIONS
* Substitute coconut milk for half the water if you like.
* Use 3/4 cup all-purpose flour and eliminate the rice flour if you like. But the rice flour adds a crispness that will be missing.

NOTES

* The fritters are excellent served with ice cream and drizzled with honey. You can also serve them in a dish with a little coconut cream.

http://whats4eats.com/recipes/r_de_pisanggoreng.html

Dan's notes: I used plantains. They were awesome. Best when they're still a little yellow-green, so they're not soft. I tried it with ripe bananas and they became one icky fried mass. Maybe a little less liquid in the batter.

Pilus

Pilus
(Indonesian sweet potato puffs)

Yield: 4-6 servings

1 lb. Sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into large chunks
1/4 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 tbsp brown or palm sugar
1 tsp salt
Oil for deep frying

1. Boil sweet potatoes in water to cover until cooked all the way through, 8-12 minutes.
2. Drain sweet potatoes. Mash or put through a ricer. Return potatoes to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over low heat for 5-6 more minutes, stirring constantly, until mass begins to dry out. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Beat in remaining ingredients except oil till smooth. Add more flour if batter seems too moist.
4. Heat oil in a deep fryer or large skillet to 350 - 360°. Drop large spoonsful of batter into oil. Brown well on both sides, turning occasionally. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
5. Serve with a sambal or sriracha chile sauce.

NOTES

* The second reheating and cooking of the sweet potatoes is necessary to dry them out somewhat and make sure the batter will not be too moist.

Dan's notes: I didn't turn the batter in the deep fryer, and it stuck to the basket. Hmm. Also, it seemed to need a whole lot more flour than 1/4 cup; it was still pretty soupy at 1/4 cup.

Nasi Goreng 2

Nasi Goreng Indonesian Fried Rice

2 cups rice
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup oil
4 onions chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked chicken strips
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked shrimp
1 cup cooked crab meat
1 cup cooked cubed ham
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp crushed dried chiles
1/4 tsp ground mace
1/4 cup peanut butter

Combine rice, salt to taste and chicken broth in saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat 20 min. until rice is tender.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions and garlic. Cook 10 min., stirring frequently. Add chicken, shrimp, crab meat, ham, coriander, cumin, chiles, mace, and peanut butter. Mix thoroughly. Cook over low heat 10 min. stirring gently. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

http://www.internationalrecipes.net/recipes/view.pl?64

Dan's notes: super peanutty, and very sticky. Not what I thought of when I thought "fried rice".

Nasi Goreng

Nasi Goreng

http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipedetail2.jsp?recipe_no=347

Ingredients:
3 eggs
salt and pepper
oil for frying
250 g (8 oz.) raw prawns
500 g (1 lb.) pork or lean beef steak
2 medium onions
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried shrimp paste (trasi)
4 cups cold cooked rice
6 spring onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 green cucumber, thinly sliced

Directions:
Beat eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Heat very little oil in a frying pan and make an omelette with half the beaten eggs. Turn out on a plate to cool. (Do not fold omelette.) Repeat process with remaining eggs. When cool, put one omelette on top of the other, roll up and cut into thin strips.
Shell and devein prawns, cut beef or pork into fine strips. Chop onions roughly and put in a blender container with garlic and trasi. Cover and blend to a paste. (If blender is not available, finely chop onions and crush garlic. Dissolve trasi in a little hot water. Combine these three ingredients.) Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan or wok and fry the blended ingredients until cooked. Add prawns and meat to pan and fry, stirring constantly, until they are cooked. Add 2 tablespoons more oil and when hot stir in the rice and spring onions, tossing and mixing until very hot. Sprinkle with soy sauce and mix evenly.
Serve the fried rice garnished with strips of omelette and cucumber.

Dan's notes: good! 4 cups is a lot of rice. I just made it with chicken; it's probably better with shrimp and pork/beef.

Loempia

Loempia

This is the Indonesian version of the spring roll, a version of which you find in most asian country's. For the filling you use meat, chicken or seafood and a selection of vegetables.
Ingredients:

200 gr. lean Chicken.
1 medium red Onion.
1 clove garlic.
2œ cm. Ginger root.
1 tsp. Sambal Ulek.
1 tsp. Trassi.
300 gr. White Cabbage.
250 Gr. Bean sprouts.
1 small tin Bamboo shoots.
1 large Carrot.
1 tbs. Kecap Manis.
2 tbs. Peanut oil.(groundnut)
Oil for deep frying
Preparation:

Boil the chicken and after cooling, slice in strips. set aside.
Wash and slice all the vegetables. set aside.
Heat your wok and add the oil. Slice Onion and ginger, mince garlic and soften in the wok. Add the Sambal and trassi and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the vegetables, chicken and ketjap manis. Toss until vegetables are soft and just cooked. Follow instructions as below.
Cook in hot fat for about 5 minutes, Making sure both sides are browned equally. Serve with peanutsauce or just Kecap manis and sambal.

To make the Loempia's, spread out 2 spring roll sheets as shown on this site.
http://www.indochef.com/indo_32.shtml
Fold the "A" corners over the filling, followed by the "B" corners. Make sure the filling is packed in tight. Next fold over side 1 and 2. Put side 3 over and spread some beaten egg on top to stick down side 4.

Dan's notes: awesome. These turned out just like restaurant egg rolls. Wow. Serving with "sambal manis" is pretty good. This made about 8 egg rolls.

Gulai Masin Ikan

Yellow Fish Curry

(Gulai Masin Ikan)

SERVES 4-6

This dish epitomizes the cuisine of Indonesia: earthy, wild, lush and vibrant. This recipe can also be made with mackerel, perch, or squid.

1 stalk lemongrass
5 shallots, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1" piece ginger, peeled and chopped
1/2" piece fresh or frozen and thawed
turmeric, peeled and chopped
3 shelled candlenuts, chopped
2 tbsp. peanut oil
2 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
20 green bird's-eye chiles, stemmed
1 1 1/2-2-lb. whole red snapper, cleaned
2-3 kaffir lime leaves
Salt

1. Bruise lemongrass with dull side of cleaver or large kitchen knife, tie it into a knot, and set aside. Crush together shallots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and candlenuts with a mortar and pestle to a smooth paste and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a wok or medium wide pot over medium heat. Add shallot paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes. Add coconut milk and chiles and bring to a simmer. Add fish, lime leaves, and lemongrass and cook, gently stirring and occasionally basting fish with sauce, until fish is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Remove and discard lemongrass and lime leaves just before serving. Serve at room temperature, with Steamed White Rice, if you like.
First published in Saveur, March 2002

Dan's notes: This is great! And easy! (once you clean the fish...) the chiles are awesome; actually do put 20 chiles in, because once you cook them in the coconut milk and stuff, the flavor is just right, and then when you eat one, it's fiery but not painful.

Gado-gado 2

Gado Gado Recipe

Ingredients:
SAUCE:
1/2 ts Galangal powder (Laos)
1 Fresh hot red or green chile, sliced
1 Clove garlic, sliced
1 tb Dark brown sugar
1/2 ts Salt
1 c Coconut milk
1/2 ts Shrimp sauce
4 tb Natural peanut butter
1 tb Tamarind liquid
1 Square inch lemon peel

VEGETABLES:
1 c String beans in 2-inch pieces
1 c Julienne of carrot
2 c Shredded Napa cabbage
1 c Fresh bean sprouts
1 c Cooked, sliced potatoes
1 c Sliced cucumber

GARNISH:
1 Piece tofu, fried brown, cut into nine cubes
1 sl Tomato
2 Hard-cooked eggs, sliced
2 md Onions, sliced, fried until golden

Directions:
Put all the sauce ingredients except the lemon peel in a blender or food processor and puree. Place in a saucepan with the lemon peel and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until thickened and darkened. Set aside and keep warm.

Blanch the beans and carrots for 3 minutes, then run under cold water to stop cooking. Blanch the cabbage and sprouts for a few seconds and run under cold water. Arrange the vegetables in layers on a platter- -cabbage, beans, carrots, potatoes, cucumbers and sprouts on top.

Garnish: Scatter the tofu cubes over the sprouts. Garnish with egg and tomato slices around the edges, then pour the sauce over and sprinkle all with the fried onions.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle
Entered: 6/13/05
Submitted By: Smith Rick
E-mail: rick@dragons.net

Dan's notes: A little too lemony. The sauce is nice because it's pretty complex; it doesn't just taste like peanut butter. But it is pretty lemony. I didn't like it as much as the other recipe.

Gado-gado

INDONESIAN SALAD (GADO-GADO) Recipe

Ingredients:
DRESSING
1/2 c Flaked coconut
1 c Hot water
1 Onion, chopped
1 clove Garlic, finely chopped
1-1/2 ts Peanut oil
2/3 c Peanut butter
1/2 c Water
1 Tb Sugar
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Chili powder
1/8 ts Ground ginger

SALAD
1 c Bean sprouts
1 c Cabbage, shredded
4 oz Bean curd, drained cut into 1" pieces
2 Tb Peanut or vegetable oil
1 c Potatoes, cooked, peeled and sliced
1 c Green beans, cooked
1 c Carrots, cooked & sliced
1 Cucumber, sliced
2 Hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced

Directions:
To prepare Dressing, place coconut in blender container. Add 1 cup hot water. Cover and blend on high speed about 30 seconds. Cook and stir onion and garlic in oil in 2-quart saucepan about 5 minutes. Stir in coconut and remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

To prepare salad, pour enough boiling water over bean sprouts and cabbage to cover. Let stand 2 minutes. Drain. Cook bean curd in oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, turning pieces gently, until light brown. Remove with slotted spoon. Drain. Cook potatoes in same skillet until light brown. Drain. Arrange bean sprouts, cabbage, bean curd, potatoes and remaining ingredients on platter. Pour warm Dressing over salad.
Serves 6.

Dan's notes: gets a little bit watery. Maybe not add so much water in the sauce. Other than that, a good bunch of vegetables. I like it.

Boeboer ajam

Boeboer Ajam

This dish is best described as a savoury "rice-pudding". It makes a tasty lunchtime dish, or, if you're one of the converted, a nice breakfast dish to see you through the rest of the day.
Ingredients:

1 Chicken (approx. 800 gr.)
1 1/2 Ltr. water.
400 gr. Rice.
2 Tbs. Chinese light Soy.
2 Tsp. Garlic Powder
salt & pepper to taste
Garnish:
Chopped Parsley or Coriander leaf.
Omelet strips (made from 2 eggs)
Bawang goreng. (deep fried Onions)

Preparation:

Quarter chicken and put with water on low flame for 1 hour to make stock. Remove
chicken. Put the crushed shells from the eggs used for the omelet in the stock and
stir well, on low flame, for a minute. Pass stock through a muslin cloth to clarify.
Wash the rice and boil in the stock for œ hour until done. (must be sticky and thick). Add the soy, garlic, salt, pepper and shredded chicken and simmer for a further 15 Minutes.
Decorate with omelet, onions and parsley or coriander. serve hot.

Dan's notes: easy and great! When it says "sticky and thick" it kinda means "soupy, like risotto-style, but almost done". Didn't pass stock through the muslin cloth, it turned out fine.

Ayam Panggang

Grilled-Chicken Curry

(Ayam Panggang)

This recipe has been passed down through generations of the family of Ibu Rohati, a Padang native we met while exploring Indonesia and the ancient Minangkabau culture. Check your local Asian market for Indonesian ingredients.

1 stalk lemongrass
1 tbsp. tamarind pulp
3 shallots, peeled and chopped
3 red holland chiles, stemmed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1" piece ginger, peeled and chopped
1" piece fresh or frozen and thawed galangal,
peeled and chopped
1/2" piece fresh or frozen and thawed
turmeric, peeled and chopped
4 shelled candlenuts, chopped
1 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. peanut oil
1 3 1/2-4-lb. chicken, cut in half
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1. Bruise lemongrass with dull side of cleaver or large kitchen knife, tie it into a knot, and set aside. Dissolve tamarind pulp in 1 cup hot water. Strain through a sieve, pressing pulp through with a rubber spatula. Set liquid aside and discard seeds.

2. Crush together shallots, chiles, garlic, ginger, galangal, turmeric, candlenuts, and coriander seeds with a mortar and pestle to a smooth paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add spice paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 3-5 minutes. Push paste to outer edge of skillet, add chicken, skin side down, and cook until skin begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken, then stir in tamarind liquid and lemongrass, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces by one-quarter, about 10 minutes. Add coconut milk and simmer, basting chicken frequently, until it is cooked halfway through, about 10 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate and continue simmering sauce until thickened and pastelike, 7-10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, preheat grill. Grill chicken over medium-hot heat, basting with sauce and turning halfway through, until completely cooked, 15-20 minutes. Serve at room temperature, with Steamed White Rice, if you like.
First published in Saveur, March 2002

Dan's notes: tasty! I cooked it with the bone in (except the breasts) and then cut it off the bone and served it as shredded chicken with the sauce. The breasts dried out a little bit, so maybe keeping them on the bone would be a good idea too. Second time I made it (grill and everything) it wasn't so good.

Acar Ketimum

Acar Ketimum
(Indonesian cucumber pickle)

Yield: 4-6 servings
1/2 Onion sliced thinly
1 Chili pepper slit down the side
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
3-4 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp salt
2-3 Peppercorns
1 cucumber, sliced into 1/4" rounds

1. Bring first set of ingredients to a boil in a saucepan.
2. Place cucumber in a heat-proof jar or bowl. Pour boiling liquid over to cover.
3. Cover the container and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours to allow flavors to meld.

VARIATIONS
* Cucumber can be peeled, seeded and sliced into half moons if you like.
* Add 2-3 whole cloves for extra flavor.

NOTES
Pronounced "aCHAR kehTEEmoon". Serve as a side dish for grilled foods, especially satay ayam.
http://whats4eats.com/recipes/r_pi_acarketim.html

Dan's notes: simple and good.

Acar

Acar

This is a very light salad. The dressing is reminiscent of the cucumber
salads served in many Japanese restaurants.

Recipe By : Craig Claiborne - The New New York Times Cookbook

1/2 cup water -- cold
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 slice ginger root -- crushed
3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons salt
1 each yellow onion -- thinly sliced
5 cups cabbage -- thinly sliced
1 cup carrot -- finely shredded
2 cups cucumber -- thinly sliced

In salad bowl combine first five ingredients. Add vegetables. Toss
thoroughly and refrigerate at least one hour.

Dan's notes: simple but good. Not great. It's just a salad of thinly sliced things with a vinegary dressing. Still, not bad.

Wisconsin Chicken Booyah

Wisconsin Chicken Booyah
This dish is famous in the Fox River Valley region - Green Bay, Wisconsin. Booyah and beer go great together. Booyah King, Bob Baye, of Green Bay, Wisconsin, has been making Booyah since about 1946 in 100-gallon cookers.

1 roasting or stewing chicken (about 4 pounds)
1 pound beef stew meat, with bones
1 pound pork stew meat, with bones
1/2 cup minced parsley
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon sage
4 cups quartered potatoes
2 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup carrots, cut up
1 cup green beans, cut up
1 cup fresh peas
1 cup skinned, seeded, chopped tomatoes
2 lemons

Put chicken in a deep kettle with the beef and pork. Cover with boiling water. Bring slowly to a simmer, remove scum from the top, and add herbs and seasonings. Simmer very gently, covered, about 1 hour.

Remove chicken and, when cooled, take meat form the bones and cut into pieces. Let beef and pork continue to cook until tender, 45 minutes to an hour more.

Remove and let cool enough to remove meat from bones. Add vegetables to the broth and simmer 5 to 10 minutes.

Grate lemon rind and set aside; remove white pith and seeds from the lemons, chop the pulp, and add to the broth. Taste for seasoning. While vegetables are still crisp, return the meat pieces to the broth to heat through. Serve in large soup bowls and sprinkle with the lemon rind.

Serves 12 to 16

Turkey with stuffing

Stuffing a Turkey

Medium Heat: Saute with 1/2 stick butter (in biggest pot)-
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
Take off heat.
Stir in gradually: 1 12 oz. bag (brownberry) Unseasoned Stuffing- (bread cubes)
2 cups chicken bouillon
1 chopped red apple
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. sage
1 tsp. thyme
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Rinse fresh or thawed* turkey in clean sink with cold water. (*Thawing takes at least 2 days in fridge or 1/2 day in sink, running cold water over it. Do not remove turkey wrapper until thawed, and do not thaw in room temp.) Save wrapper for weight of turkey and timing instructions.
Take out extra turkey parts- neck (!) in large cavity, and plastic bag of gizzards in the nack cavity. I toss them out- ewww. Some people make soup from the neck, and put the gizzards in the stuffing. I, um, don't.
Place drained turkey in large roasting pan.
Stuff turkey cavity loosely. Rub butter over turkey breast.
Put in oven at 325 according to instructions. A stuffed 12 lb. turkey will take 3 1/2 hours to cook.
I check it at 3 hours with an instant meat thermometer. The pop-up timer in the bird usually is a little late, and the bird can dry out. If the bird is golden brown but the internal temp is not 185 yet (taken in the thickest part of the breast or thigh), then put foil over it and keep cooking. Buy yourself a thin little instant thermometer.
Any extra stuffing can go into a foil covered dish in the oven for a half hour or more. Mix with the bird stuffing before serving.
Making gravy is hard to describe- you may want to buy it till I can show you.
I serve turkey with steamed broccoli and cranberry sauce.

Source: Mom

Beef tenderloin

Beef Tenderloin Marinade



1 5lb beef tenderloin

1 1/4 tsp garlic salt

1 cup burgundy wine

1/4 cup soy sauce

3/4 cup butter



Rub meat with garlic salt, roast at 425 for 10 minutes. Turn down to 375. Cook rest of ingredients on stove until butter melts. Baste tenderloin with mixture until meat is done- 25-30 min or until meat thermometer registers 150. Slice meat, pour on sauce.


Source: Mom

Dan's note: I got a 4lb tenderloin, it was pretty thick, but it took a LOT longer. Like 1hr+. As usual, knowing when it's done is the hard part.

Shrimp cakes

Shrimp Cakes Recipe

Fridays are fish days in our house, especially during Lent. And during Lent the dish I look forward to the most is my dad's shrimp cakes. He uses sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes and spices them up with jalapeños and cilantro.

Ingredients:

1 lb tan-skinned sweet potatoes
4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
4 Tbsp (or more) vegetable oil
8 oz peeled, cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup fresh cilantro
2/3 cup finely ground breadcrumbs (Japanese panko)
2 Tbsp finely chopped preserved jalapeño chili
2 Tbsp finely chopped red onion
1 1/2 teaspoons Latin Spice Mix (recipe included here)

Latin Spice Mix Recipe

1/4 cup cumin seeds
3 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

Combine cumin, peppercorns, and coriander in a heavy medium skillet. Stir over medium heat until fragrant and toasted, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly. Finely grind toasted spices in blender. Transfer to a small bowl. Mix in sugar and salt. Makes 1/2 cup.

Method:

1 Pierce potatoes all over with a fork. Bake in microwave for about 15 minutes until done. Rub a Tbsp of oil over unpeeled garlic. Cook in microwave a few minutes, until soft. Cool garlic and potatoes slightly. Remove peel from garlic. Remove skins from potatoes. Combine potatoes and garlic in a bowl. Mash until smooth.

2 Add shrimp, cilantro, bread crumbs, chili, onion, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of Latin Spice Mix. Stir to blend well. Season with salt. Form mixture into six 3-inch-diameter patties.

3 Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat cakes in flour. Heat 3 Tbsp oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook cakes in batches until brown, adding more oil if necessary, about 2 minutes per side. Place on baking sheet. Bake until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Tastes great served with lemon, tartar sauce, and coleslaw.

Makes six large cakes.

Dan's note: these are very good!

Moroccan Baby Carrot Salad

Moroccan Baby Carrot Salad

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/moroccan-baby-carrot-salad-recipe.html



To be totally honest, I'm nearly always too lazy to peel carrots. I look for fresh bunches of spring carrots, or the smallest, babiest of spring carrots topped with lively, healthy-looking greens. In addition, peeling these guys strips away much of their barely rustic personality - another reason not to bother. I give them a good, hearty scrub, and they are ready to go. I cut back quite a bit on the ground cumin (feel free to use more!) and loaded up on the add-ins here, more than the original recipe calls for - also threw in some crumbled manouri cheese (totally optional) - feta or goat cheese would also do nicely, each in its own way.



2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1/4 cup olive oil

1 pound baby carrots (or spring carrots), washed and cut into halves and/or quarters lengthwise



sea salt to taste

1 tablespoon honey

lemon juice from one lemon

1/2 cup black olives (Moroccan, Kalamata, etc), each torn in half



1/2 cup orange syrup (1 cup orange juice reduced by half over medium heat)



1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon mint, chopped

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted



Put cumin seeds in a heavy pan over medium heat and toast until fragrant, approximately five minutes. Grind cumin seeds in a spice grinder and set aside. Alternatively, if you don't have a grinder, use pre-ground cumin.



Pour olive oil in a skillet over high heat and add carrots. Cook 2 - 3 minutes. Lower heat to medium and cook another few minutes until the carrots become just barely tender, and loose much of their crunch and raw flavor. Salt to taste.



Drain carrots in a colander to get rid of excess oil.



Transfer carrots to a mixing bowl and add honey, lemon juice, olives, orange syrup and about half of the cumin. Toss gently. Taste, add more cumin if you like.



Just before serving toss in the cilantro, mint and pine nuts. Add a bit more salt to taste if needed. Serve next to your favorite tiny pasta, grain, or rice. Sardinian fregula is shown in the photo at the begining of the post.



Serves 4 to 6.

Dan's notes: I'd reduce the orange even more. You can make it without pine nuts, it's still good. Would probably be good with some kind of rice or pasta to soak up the extra liquid. Beej called it an "explosion of flavor" and he didn't know if he liked it, but I do.

Mashed plantains with bacon and onions

MASHED PLANTAINS WITH BACON AND ONIONS
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/MASHED-PLANTAINS-WITH-BACON-AND-ONIONS-109228

2 green plantains (1 1/2 lb total)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 lb bacon, chopped (6 slices)
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

Using a sharp large heavy knife, cut ends off plantains and slit through peel lengthwise from end to end. Soak in a large bowl filled with 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt 5 minutes. (This makes peel easier to remove.) Remove tough outer peel, using a paring knife if necessary, and cut plantains into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Cook, covered, in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 20 minutes.

While plantains cook, cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 4 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon of mixture for garnish, then add milk, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt (mixture may appear curdled). Remove from heat and keep warm, covered.

Drain plantains in a colander and return to saucepan. Reheat milk mixture and mash plantains with a potato masher, adding hot milk mixture and butter. Sprinkle reserved bacon and onion on top.

Makes 6 side-dish servings.

Dan's note: Make sure you cook the bacon until it is very crisp so that it will crumble. Remove it from the pan, dry it with paper towels, and drain off the fat, then crumble it back into the pan and keep cooking.

Lemon-scented Quinoa Salad

Lemon-scented Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 can garbanzo beans, or dried equivalent
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped

Tahini Dressing:
1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
1/4 cup tahini
Zest of one lemon
scant 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons hot water
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Rinse the quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer. In a medium saucepan heat the quinoa and water until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 minutes. Quinoa is done when you can see the curlique in each grain, and it is tender with a bit of pop to each bite. Drain any extra water and set aside.

While the quinoa is cooking make the dressing. Whisk together the garlic, tahini, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Add the hot water to thin a bit and then the salt.

Toss the cooked quinoa, beans, cilantro, red onion, and half of the dressing. Add more dressing if you like and season with more salt to taste. Serve garnished with a bit of cilantro.

Serves 4.

Dan's note: this is good! The onions are maybe a little strong. Maybe that's good though.

Grilled Beets in Rosemary Vinegar

Grilled Beets in Rosemary Vinegar
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grilled-Beets-in-Rosemary-Vinegar/Detail.aspx
"Don't know what to do with fresh beets? Marinate and grill them in this wonderful sauce! These go great with grilled meat, and are a colorful and flavorful alternative to your usual veggie fare."

INGREDIENTS:

* 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
* 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
* 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence
* 3 medium beets, sliced into rounds

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, mix balsamic vinegar, rosemary, garlic, and herbes de Provence. Place beets in the mixture, and marinate at least 20 minutes.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil grate.
3. Place the beets and marinade mixture on a piece of foil large enough to wrap all ingredients, and seal tightly. Place the foil packet on the prepared grill, and cook 25 minutes, or until beets are tender.
4. Remove beets from the packet, and place directly on the grill grate for 2 to 5 minutes before serving hot.

Pan-Roasted Asparagus Soup With Tarragon

Pan-Roasted Asparagus Soup With Tarragon
http://bitten.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/12/recipe-of-the-day-pan-roasted-asparagus-soup-with-tarragon/
Mark Bittman

Be extremely careful when puréeing hot soup. If time allows, it is safest to cool the soup before puréeing it. (Resting the cooking pan in a larger one filled with ice water is the most efficient way.) To reduce the chance of spattering, pulse the blender on and off a couple of times before leaving it on, and hold the top down.


Ingredients

* 1 1/2 pounds thin asparagus (if only thick spears are available, peel them first)
* 2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
* 10 fresh tarragon leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
* 4 cups chicken or other stock
* Salt and pepper

Method

* 1. Break off bottom part of each asparagus stalk, and discard. Coarsely chop the rest of stalks, leaving 12 or 16 of the flower ends whole. Put butter or oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. A minute later, add asparagus and tarragon, raise heat to high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Remove whole flower ends; set aside.
* 2. Add stock and some salt and pepper; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until asparagus is very tender, about 10 minutes. Cool at least a few minutes.
* 3. Pour soup into a blender, in batches if necessary, and carefully purée. Return to pan, and, over medium-low heat, reheat gently. When soup is hot, adjust seasoning. Put 3 or 4 asparagus flower ends in each of 4 bowls; ladle in soup, and serve.

Source: The New York Times
http://bitten.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/12/recipe-of-the-day-pan-roasted-asparagus-soup-with-tarragon/#more-273

Dan's notes: pretty basic, good appetizer soup, I used fennel seeds instead of tarragon, and I guess they didn't hurt, but it'd probably be better if you could actually get tarragon. I mean, it wasn't really that good, it tasted very strongly like asparagus.

World's best chocolate cake

World's best chocolate cake

Duncan hines cake mix
1 box instant pudding mix (chocolate)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
4 eggs

Mix and put in 2 floured cake pans.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
Source: Mom